Illuminating device



March 1l, 1941.

J. W. MARTIN I'AL ILLUMINATING DEVI CE Filed Aug. 9, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 20 P/ 4f 17a,

Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES sin ILLUMINATING DEVICE John W. Martin and Robert W. Martin, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application August 9, 1939, Serial No. 289,198

4 Claims.

This invention relates to illuminating devices.

One object of the invention is t0 provide a device of the character described having improved 'means providing a combination portable light Yand accessory holding device.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvedcombination portable lighting device of the searchlight type and a rst aid kit in a simple compact case structure.

We have perceived the important utility of providing an easily accessible first aid kit for an operator working on machinery, as for instance, on the mechanism of an automobile. The operator may scratch or cut himself, especially if he is an amateur, and may require a solvent to clean the Wound, and an antiseptic together with bandage or adhesive plaster material, as the case may abe. During the night it is inconvenient to search for such articles Whereas with the present invention, they are instantly at hand.

In fact, it is extremely rare for an automobilist to carry rst aid of the type mentioned in his car. Therefore the present invention will solve a substantial need, which need no longer be affected by the shortsightedness or negligence of the operator. Thus infections may be avoided, .and the Work of adjustment or repair expedited, with a consequentdecrease in the likelihood of the occurence of accidentsin driving. Even during the o day, when a searchlight may or may not be required, this combination utility may serve the same valuable functions.

It will be perceived that by the term article as herein used is meant any article which it may be feasible-to associate with the searchlight. For example, a simple'telegraphic device may be 'employed in place of the medical kit, or-in addition to the latter, -andesupplied with current from the lamp battery, Iand exposed for operation on opening the main casing as in the improved manner hereinafter described.

Itis therefore an object of the invention to overcome the diiiiculties and to secure theadvantages above mentioned by a device whichis simple, light in weight, compact, easy and convenient to operate, durable, reliable, inexpensive, and highlyv efficient in use.

Other'objects and advantages of the invention will vbecome apparent as the specication proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in View, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements oi parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed (Cl. 24U- 6.4)

drawings, wherein like parts lare designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a View in front elevation showing a 5 device embodying theinvention; in closed position.

Fig. 2is a view inside elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of a part thereof and a horizontal sectional view `of another part of the 10 device, in open position.

Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of the device in open position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line -5-5 of Fig. 4. 115

Fig.v 6 is a fragmentary schematic front view in Vopen position of the device With parts removed.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary schematic front view in vopen position showing a modified device.

Fig. 8 is a View in elevation of another modi- 20 cation of the invention.

Fig. 9 is a View in section with parts in elevation of a'removed section thereof.

Fig. 10 is a top plan View of said removed section.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when al1 of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole. '30

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention -appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawings, therefore,

are submitted merely as showing the preferred y335 exeinplii'lcation of the invention.

Referring in detail tothe drawings, l5 denotes a, device embodying the invention. The same may comprise a unitary housing or casing,

including a rst case member I6 and a second T40 case member l1, movably related, as by being hingedly interconnected at I8, and releasably interlocked vas by any releasable spring nger or catch I9. The member I6 may be the main case, and the member l1 may be the cover there- @45 for. Any wire handle 20 may be pivotally connected to the case I6, and an auxiliary catch 2| may be connected to the case I6 for a different type of mounting for the device l5.

In the upper part of the case 'it there may 5o be provided a light generating means 22, which may include a lamp 23 or other light source, and batteries 2li, in a suitable circuit controlled by any switch 25. In Fig. 6 is a schematic showing,

with top'and base kspring contacts '25, 2l' for the :55

batteries 24, whereby the latter are mounted and connected in circuit. In general, the arrangement is conventional, so that no further detailed showing or explanation is required, it being understood that the contacts 26, 21 are suitably insulatingly mounted on the case I6, and the batteries covered by any easily removable plate or open box-like element 28 wedged or snugly fitted in the case I6 and having a hole 29 through which the lamp 23 may project. It will be noted that the term light generating means as used herein may pertain to the lamp 23 per se.

Mounted on the member Il' is any light directing or light gathering unit 30 of the lens or reflector type, which may compriseva shell 3| affixed to the member I1 in an opening thereof, and a rim 32 screwed onto the shell for marginally securing between itself and the edge of the shell, a reflector 33 and a glass cover disc 34. The unit 30 thus lies externally at the front of the case member I1, and the reflectorv has a rear central opening 35 for freely receiving the lamp 23. The details of construction of the unit 3U, except as otherwise herein indicated, may be conventional.

When the case members I6, I1 are in closed relationship as in Fig. 2, the lamp 23 is in operative relation to the reflector 33. When the members are moved apart to open position as in Fig. 3, the lamp 23 is withdrawn from the reflector.

One or both of the case members may have article receiving compartments, as indicated at 36 and 31 for the respective case members I1 and I6. These compartments are in register with each other and hence are adapted to form a large chamber, below the light generating unit, which projects from the case member I6 so as to be partially housed by the case ymember I1 as shown. If desired, the compartment 31 may be divided by a horizontal shelf 38 and may be flanged along its sides and bottom as at 39. The compartment 3B may have dividing or supporting elements such as a plurality of horizontal rods 40 back of which may be placed notes, instructions or other articles.

The compartment 31 is ideally adapted to receive small bottles of iodine, mercurochrome, spirits of ammonia, and small packages of bandage, adhesive plaster, and thelike. Bandages prepared in strip form may be placed in the compartment 35 back of the rods 40.

In operation, upon opening the case to the position shown in Fig. 4, the rst aid is instantly accessible, and, in fact, maybe illuminated by the lamp 23. Then the case may be snapped shut and the device I is again available for use in the usual manner. In fact, the device may be used as a flare signal, by substituting a red colored lamp for the white lamp 23.

It is thus seen that a simple and inexpensive case structure is operative for access to lamp, batteries, and to the article or articles retained inthe case, such as the rst aid kit, and serves to enclose the same, and to bring the lamp into operative relation to its reflector.

In addition to or in lieu of the iirst aid kit, a modied device 4I may have an article such as a telegraphic unit 42 schematically shown. It will, however, be understood that the unit 42 may be connected to the batteries 24, and that the light 23 may illuminate the same in the open position of the device shown in Fig. 7. To conserve the life of the batteries, the circuit may be so arranged that when the unit 42 is in operation,

the lamp 23 can not be energized. The unit 42 may be disposed in the case member I6a, and may be protectively enclosed when the members IBa, and I1a are closed. In all other respects the device 4I may be like the device I5.

In Figs. 8 to l0 is shown another modification of the invention comprising a tubular type of searchlight 43 having a tube 44. At one end thereof is a screw cap structure 45 which may comprise a reector 46 for a lamp 41. In the upper part of the tube 44 is a compartment 48 for batteries 49, the circuit of which With the lamp 41 is completed through a screw cap 50 for the lower open end of the tube 44, and a coil spring 5I carried by the cap 50 and contacting the base of the lowermost battery 49 and causing reliable contact as required by spring tension of the element 5I. Any switch 52 may control the circuit. As thus far described, the device 43 may be conventional.

Below the battery compartment 48 is an article receiving means or chamber 53 in the tube 44 and closed by the cap 5I). Preferably the latter carries a holder 54, which may be a longitudinally open or split tube or a plate longitudinally concaved as shown, and rigidly aiixed at its lower end to the cap '50 so as to be normally spaced inward from the wall of the tube 44 to readily clear the same. The spring 5I may be affixed to the upper end of the holder 54 so that the operation of the spring is as before. Various articles may be stacked up in the holder 54, and with the latter and the tube 44 held horizontal, the holder may be inserted into the tube 44 without loss of any article, and the cap 50 screwed onto the tube. The spring 5I may act as an inner end Wall for the articles, and if the articles are tightly packed, the spring may resiliently bear on the row or column of articles to hold the same in very snug relation. Thus a rst aid kit may be embodied in the device 43 which may thus require a lengthening of the tube 44 or merely the use of fewer batteries to afford the necessary internal space.

We claim:

1. A device including a generally flat vertically elongated rectangular casing comprising a plurality of relatively shallow casing sections hingedly interconnected at one edge along a vertical axis to constitute a unitary structure in the open and closed position of the casing, one of said casing sections being a main section and the other being a cover section, means for mounting a plurality of batteries in side by side relation to each other in the upper portion of the main casing section and for mounting a lamp in operative relation to said batteries at a point between the latter, a removable plate at the upper portion of the said main casing section and covering the front side of said batteries and having an opening for said lamp, said plate projecting from the main casing section into the upper part of the cover section, said lamp projecting beyond said plate and removably extending through an opening in the cover section so that the lamp is removed therefrom on opening the casing, said cover section having a reflector external of the casing for cooperative relation with -said lamp, said casing sections having individual compartments in the lower portions thereof, said compartments being closed by closing said casing and being otherwise open and being directly accessible and exposed to said lamp on opening said casing, with said plate constituting an auxiliary reector adapted to project light toward the interior of the cover section when the casing is opened.

2. A device including a generally flat vertically elongated rectangular casing comprising a plurality of relatively shallow casing sections hingedly interconnected at one edge along a vertical axis to constitute a unitary structure in the open and closed position of the casing, one of said casing sections being a main section and the other being a cover section, means for mounting a plu# rality of batteries in side by side relation to each other in the upper portion of the main casing section and for mounting a lamp in operative relation to said batteries at a point between the latter, said lamp projecting beyond the main section and removably through an opening in the cover section and beyond the same, a reector located externally of the casing and mounted on said cover section so as to lie in coo-perative relation with the lamp, said casing sections having compartments in their lower portions, closed by closing the casing, and the latter being opened by momng apart the casing sections to thus directly remove the lamp from said reector so that the lamp is adapted to illuminate said compartments.

3. A device including a generally rectangular vertically elongated casing split along a vertical plane to provide a rst and a second casing section each having a top and bottom wall, and side and end walls, said casing sections being interconnected along a vertical hinge line so as to be relatively swingable for opening and closing the casing, a lamp and battery unit mounted in the upper portion of the first casing section, a concave reflector for the lamp external of the casing mounted on the second casing section, the battery portion of said unit projecting laterally into the upper part of the second casing section, the lamp portion of said unit projecting beyond the battery portion and removably extending through an opening in the second casing section into operative relation to the reflector, the lower portions of the casing sections below said unit providing individual article receiving compartments with the unit forming a top closure for the said compartments, and said casing sections, on being swung apart, affording direct access to the said unit for replacement thereof and to the articles in the said individual compartments.

4. A device according to claim 2, wherein said compartments comprise individual transverse article holding rods parallel to said plane and constituting reenforcements for the casing sections.

JOHN W. MARTIN. ROBERT W. MARTIN. 

